Ch.1
1031 Words
Althea Pov
"Good morning, Mr. William. I trust you had a restful night." I asked the dwarf-like man standing before me as I stepped into the "Consent Cafe".
Mr. Will ran a quaint cafe in Manhattan, New York. It was the source of income for him and his family, operating Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. as a barista.
The cafe was short-staffed, so he took on most of the coffee-making duties, while his wife managed the baking, and his only son along with two daughters took care of serving and cleaning.
"I slept wonderfully and woke up feeling blessed by God, Althea," he said with a smile.
"The usual or are we trying something new today?" he inquired as he moved behind the counter.
"You know my preferences," I replied, adjusting my mother’s blue and black Chinoiserie dress and removing my glasses to wipe the lenses. In fact, it’s one of my favorite pieces from the many outfits I inherited from my mother.
My mother, my sole parent, passed away from stage four lung cancer a month ago. Her illness stemmed from years of smoking, a coping mechanism for the depression that followed her being r***d and rejected by her own parents. Her death marked the start of the most harrowing period of my life. I did everything I could to save her, even selling all our possessions. She was the only person I had known since my arrival in this world.
"One espresso, coming right up," Mr. Will typed into the screen.
"I’ll let you know when your order is ready."
"Thank you," I replied, turning to search for a place to sit in the café, only to collide face-first into a solid chest.
In an instant, I was enveloped in a warm hug. A rough hand gripped my arm, providing a comforting sense of security. I savored the moment, breathing in a distinctly masculine aroma, a blend of cologne, musk, and coffee.
I was instantly captivated the moment I glanced up; my gaze fell upon a strikingly handsome young man. He was tall and well-built, his athletic form hidden beneath a sleek black suit. His blonde hair and sun-kissed face bore the marks of both wind and sunlight. I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me as I continued to stare at him. His piercing blue eyes seemed to weaken my legs.
Is he a model, a film star, or perhaps a celebrity? Maybe he’s an athlete. There was something unsettling about his look; he seemed oddly familiar.
"Are you alright?" he inquired, his voice deep and rich, with a velvety quality.
"Yes, I’m fine. I apologize."
"Are you certain? You appear quite fragile."
"Actually, I’m stronger than you might assume. Appearances can be misleading."
He scowled. "That's difficult to accept. I could easily shatter your bones with just a finger. You appear so frail and undernourished."
I took a deep breath and offered a sarcastic smile.
"I appreciate the compliment. I really must be going; I have a lot on my plate."
"Your coffee is ready." I turned and snatched my coffee from the counter.
"You're welcome." He was trying to provoke me, and I felt my irritation rise.
"Are you certain you're alright?"
I flinched, stretched, and threw my arms around. "See, nothing's broken."
I made my way to my favorite table in the corner by a large window, aware that the man's gaze was fixed on me.
To be honest, I really dislike this guy. He comes off as incredibly arrogant and lacks the ability to apologize. I initially thought he was a gentleman when he asked if I was okay.
However, he turned out to be a pompous jerk. He referred to me as "so frail" and "undernourished," which genuinely hurt my feelings.
I continued to gaze at him for a few more seconds while I opened my laptop. He is undeniably handsome, but his demeanor is devilish. Before long, his eyes locked onto mine, and I was taken aback by the fact that I had been caught staring.
Oh my! I quickly diverted my attention to my laptop screen, pretending to focus on my work.
I’m done! I’ve scoured the internet for job opportunities, but none seem to match my qualifications. A bakery might be a nice place to work, but the pay is just too low.
"Hey girl," a message appears on my laptop from my friend Ella.
"Hey," I respond.
"How’s the job hunt going?"
"Not great, my qualifications don’t fit any of the openings."
"Well, I have some good news for you. I found a job that might be perfect!"
"Really? How did you manage that?"
"I met a nice friend who is looking for a secretary for her boss. I mentioned you to her, and she said you should come by tomorrow for an interview."
"You never brought up my qualifications to her."
"No, I didn’t. However, I was able to persuade her to assist you for the sake of our past."
"Wow, thank you so much! How can I ever repay you?"
"We’ll just split your first paycheck," she joked with a smiley emoji.
"Sounds good to me!"
"Anyway, guess who I ran into today."
"Who are you referring to?"
"Adam."
"Which Adam?"
"Is there any other Adam you know? He asked for your phone number."
"Did you give it to him?"
"No! You told me not to share your number with anyone, right?"
"Right?"
"Anyway, I have to go. We’ll talk later."
I let out a sigh and closed my laptop. Adam.
It’s been a month since I last saw him. I completely cut our communication.
No, I can’t confront him. I’ll end up in jail the moment I see him because the Althea he knew is no longer the same.
A wave of intense sorrow surged within me.
"A little gift from the gentleman over there." Stephen, Mr. Will’s son, placed a plate in front of me, pulling me back from my thoughts.
I glanced at the plate, and there it was—a pancake topped with a dollop of cream and fresh strawberry syrup.
Yum! My favorite. How did he know?
- Writer
